Lateral transfer systems for raise climber



p 1968 G. K. WEGNER 3,378,106

LATERAL TRANSFER SYSTEMS FOR RAISE CLIMBER Tiled Sept. 26, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 K FIG 2 INVENTOR. L v i GUIDO K. WEGNER p 1968 G. K. WEGNER 3,378,106

LATERAL TRANSFER SYSTEMS FOR RAISE CLIMBER Filed Sept. 26, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet F5 INVENTOR.

GUIDO K. WEGNER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 3,378,106 LATERAL TRANSFER SYSTEMS FOR RAISE CLIMBER Guido K. Wegner, San Bruno, Calif assignor to Norse Development Corporation, Rye, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 582,020 7 Claims. (Cl. 187-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lateral transfer system for a raise climber for docking the climber in a drift. A track system is secured to the raise and laterally extending drift. A transfer track is mounted for movement on the track system which extends along the lateral drift and for alignment with the track system in the raise. The climber can be lowered onto the transfer track when aligned with the track system in the raise and then moved along the drift for docking.

This invention relates to apparatus for making underground excavations and the like, and more particularly it relates to apparatus for use in combination with a raise climber for docking a raise climber when it is periodically moved to the bottom of a raise in an underground shaft system.

In underground mining excavations raise cavities afe progressively driven upwards from hor-izantally oriented mine drifts to provide for removal of ore bodies. Gen erally, the procedure is to excavate the raise using a raise climber that is capable of lifting a man and equipment up into the raise. An example of such a raise climber is shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,016,989 to Lindmark. The raise climber operates on a track fixed to the wall of the raise and transports the miner to the upper end of the raise where drilling is accomplished and charges are set. The raise climber must then be moved back down out of the raise and out of the way of debris that falls when the blasting of the charges takes place.

Heretofore, it was necessary to provide an extra branching excavation from the side of the drift beneath each raise for the sole purpose of parking the raise climber so that it would be properly protected during the blasting operation. Such special excavations solely for docking purposes were costly both in time and labor and seriously reduced the efficiency of the mining operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is compatible with the raise climber or elevator and that will enable it to be parked in an existing drift or horizontal passage of the mine thereby eliminating the need for an additional raise climber parking cut-out or excavation at the bottom of a raise.

More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide in combination with an upwardly directed track for a raise climber a laterally extending parking or transfer apparatus on which the raise climber can be received from the upward track and then moved laterally to a location remote from the lower end of the raise being worked. The arrangement is such that the apparatus can be operated manually without the need for any auxiliary power devices.

3,378,1fi6 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 Other important objects of the present invention are to provide a lateral transfer system for a raise climber: (1) that is strong and durable; (2) that is relatively easy to install and therefore capable of being moved from raise to raise within a mine system; (3) which is easy to maintain and service without the need for special tools and highly skilled labor; and (4) which will facilitate the parking of a raise climber with a minimum of time loss to production.

Other objects, advantages and features of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in cross section of a mine drift with an upwardly extending raise utilizing the raise climber transfer system according to the present inven tion;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation and in section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in perspective showing the raise climber transfer apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in side elevation showing the raise climber transfer apparatus of my invention in greater detail;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along line 66 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a raise climber transfer apparatus 1%} embodying the principles of the present invention as it appears when installed in a typical subterranean mine tunnel system wherein an excavation or raise 12 extends upwardly either vertically or at an angle from a horizontally oriented mine drift 14. Fixed to one wall of the raise and extending upwardly is a track 16 which guides and supports a mechanical raise climber 18. The latter device which is capable of carrying a worker and equipment up into a raise is a device well-known in the art and is described in one form in U.S. Patent No. 3,016,989. Generally, it comprises a cage 20 in which a worker can ride located below a platform 21 from which the worker can operate drilling equipment, place charges and perform other jobs. The raise climber rides in the track 16 and has its own power unit that propels it up and down thereon.

In the present invention a pair of horizontal rail members 22 are provided which are fixed to a side wall of the drift beneath the lower end of the track 16 (FIG. 3). Preferably these rail members are fixed to a pair of upright support members 24 that extend upwardly at an angle and are anchored by rock bolts 26 or some similar device to the drift wall. The rail members 22 are parallel and spaced apart, and preferably have a Z-shaped cross section, each being comprised of a pair of structural angle beams each with one flange that is overlapped and welded to a similar flange of the other angle beam and forming the central web 28 of the rail. Both of the aforesaid fixed rail members are oriented on a drift wall substantially perpendicular to the center line of the raise track 16, and just below its lower end. The inner flange 30 of each rail member which turns upwardly is adjacent to and bolted 3. to the upright support members, and the outer flange 32 turns downwardly.

Movably supported on the horizontal rail members 22 is a transfer beam 34 or docking carriage for the raise climber 18 which receives and supports the raise climber when it is aligned with the end of the regular raise climber track '16. This carriage is preferably fabricated to be similar in cross section to the raise climber track and generally comprises an elongated section of beam that forms a similar track for guiding and retaining the raise climber. On the upper end of the carriage 34 is an extended portion 36 having a transverse stop member 38 that engages and supports the raise climber when it reaches a lower end of its track. Actually, the latter extended portion may comprise the lower end section of the raise climber track 16. The stop member is essentially a plate having bolt holes which are aligned with similar holes in a mating plate on the raise climber track when the carriage is aligned to receive the raise climber.

Spaced downwardly from the upper end of the carriage 28, as shown in FIG. 4, is a short transverse box beam 40 formed of structural steel members to which are rotatably attached a first pair of rollers 42 that engage in and ride along the central web portion 28 of the upper rail member 22. Below the latter beam 40 is another box beam 44 to which are rotatably attached another set of rollers 46 that engage and ride along the inner surface of the outer flange 32 of the upper track 22. Spaced from the rollers 46 on the beam 44 a distance slightly greater than the flange 32 is another pair of rollers 47 which provide further guidance for the carriage. Near the lower end of the carriage is a second set of transverse beams 48 and 50 which are identical to the upper transverse beams, each having sets of rollers 52 and 54 that ride on the same respective flanges of the lower lateral track member 22. Details of the aforesaid rollers and their supporting beams are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

One of the upright beams 24 that is fixed directly to the wall of the drift is aligned vertically with the raise climber track 16 and hence with the transfer beam or carriage 34 of the lateral transfer system. Fixed to this latter upright beam are a pair of consoles 56 and 58 which serve to align the carriage with the end of the raise climber track 16 so that the raise climber 18 can be properly transferred to and supported on the carriage. The upper console 56, as shown in FIG. 7, comprises a pair of parallel plates 60 fixed to the beam and attached to a transverse end plate 62 having openings 64 for supporting bolts. A transverse plate 66 on the upper end of the carriage 34 is parallel to and aligned with the transverse plate of the upper console and also has openings 68 which are aligned with the openings 64 of the upper console. The lower console 58 is constructed in a similar manner to the upper console and has an outer transverse end plate 79 with bolt openings that are aligned with bolt openings in a similar transverse plate 72 on the carriage. When the carriage is in the position for alignment with the raise climber track 16 the consoles 56 and 58 on the fixed beam 24 of the drift wall are aligned with the carriage beam 34 and belts or pins 74 are placed through the respectve end plates of the carriage in the consoles to hold the carriage in position. Once the carriage has moved to its lowermost position these bolts are removed and the raise climber 18 may then be moved laterally on the rails 22.

The installation of my lateral transfer system for a raise climber is easily made beneath a raise on a sloping drift wall. The upright support members 24 are first fixed by rock bolts 26 to the drift wall in the conventional manner with one beam being vertically aligned with the end of the raise climber track 16. The lateral rail members 22 can then easily be attached as described by bolts and the transfer carriage 34 can be installed on the rails. It is positioned so that its upper end portion which comprises a section of the raise climber track can be aligned easily with the lower end of the latter track and connected thereto by means of the stop plate. The raise climber can thus move downwardly and be fully supported on the carriage. When the carriage is disconnected from the main raise climber track at the stop plate and at the two consoles, the raise climber 18 can be easily moved laterally on the rails. The rollers 42, 46 and 52, 54 riding on the upper and lower rails 22, respectively, provide a stable moving support. The main weight of the raise climber and the transfer carriage are carried by the rollers 42 and 52 on the central webs of the rails 22, and the rollers 46 Y and 54 ride along and are supported by the downturned flanges 32 of the rails.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for docking a raise climber in a mine drift beneath a raise, said raise climber being movably mounted on a track fixed to a wall of the raise and extending upwardly into it, said apparatus comprising:

rail means substantially horizontally oriented and fixed to one wall of said drift beneath a raise;

a central upright transfer beam;

roller means on said beam and retained on said rail means for moving said central beam horizontally;

and means for aligning said central beam with the lower end of the raise climber track to receive said raise climber for transportation along the drift.

2. An apparatus for docking a raise climber in a mine drift beneath a raise, said raise climber being movably mounted on a track fixed to a wall of the raise and extending upwardly into it, said apparatus comprising:

structural members fixed to the wall of the drift;

a pair of parallel transfer rails attached to and spaced apart horizontally on said structural members;

a movable upright transfer beam including an upper end portion and stop means thereon for limiting further downward travel of said raise climber;

roller means on said transfer beam engaging said transfer rails for supporting said transfer beam during its movement horizontally;

and means for aligning said central upright transfer beam with the lower end of said raise climber track to receive said raise climber for transportation along the drift.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said latter means comprises an upright member fixed trans versely to said transfer rails;

an upper and a lower console on said upright member,

each including a transverse end plate having openrngs;

a pair of spaced apart transverse plates on said transfer beam each having openings which are aligned with the openings of said consoles when said central transfer beam is aligned with the raise climber track.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein each said transfer rail has inner and outer flanges interconnected by a central web, said inner flange being bolted to said structural members, with said central web and said outer flange providing bearing surfaces for said roller means.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein each said transfer rail comprises a pair of angle beams connected with one pair of flanges overlapping and the other flanges projecting in opposite directions.

6. The apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said roller means includes a first set of rollers mounted on said movable transfer beam and engaging the central web and a second set of rollers mounted on said movable transfer beam and en agable with opposite sides of said outer flange on said movable transfer beam.

7. An apparatus for docking a raise climber in a mine drift beneath a raise comprising a trackway secured to the wall of the raise, a trackway secured to a Wall of the drift, and a transfer beam slidably mounted on the trackway secured to the drift wall for movement between a position in alignment with the raise trackway to a position along the drift removed from the raise whereby a raise climber can be transferred from the raise track to the transfer beam and the beam moved laterally along the drift track away from the raise to transport the climber to docking position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,949,399 3/1934 Ayer 187l 3,016,989 1/1962 Lindmark 187-19 FOREIGN PATENTS 818,587 8/1959 Great Britain.

ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner.

1O EVON C. BLUNK, RICHARD E. AEGERTER,

Examiners.

H. C. HORNSBY, Assistant Examiner. 

